Day 10 - Chatru 30 kms - 3500 metres ! "Efi's out the Window"

30 + kms of boulders, ruts and river streams masquerading itself as a road was insane - throw in a 4800 metre Mtn pass and it was almost enough to make grown men cry !

The mornings rain put a delay on our attempt to cross the Kunzum La but when finally in action it required us to ascend 10 kms steeply before we reached the mist covered stupa  signalling  the completion of our first major pass on tour at 4800 metres !

The cold conditions gave us little time to celebrate as we descended 1,000 metres to the river floor down a spectacularly bad road but at least complete with amazing views

With brakes overheating and wrists stuck to the break levers we took tea at one of the mobile parasol tea houses you see in this part of the world

Somewhat refreshed we took off on our road from Hell with both Pete and I deciding after 10 kms more of mental anguish to take the vulture wagon before our bodies themselves broke in half !

Graham at one stage considered a similar strategy but with road conditions improving marginally (about 1%) he continued on to our lunch stop wisely using our vehicle at one point to carve his way through a nomadic herd of sheep and goats blocking the road

Graham's brave but masochist nature though soon came to an end when lunch temperatures dropped by about 10c signalling an approaching weather front !

Unfortunately for our guides the vulture wagon was now fully occupied forcing them to ride the last16 kms to camp frozen to their handlebars

At last report Graham was considering an appeal to the Swiss governing body of EFI - ers citing clause 208 b which says that shit roads shouldn't effect a person's ability to claim an EFI !
As for Pete and self we were just damned glad  on this occasion to be off the bike !

Our first major pass - Kunzum La at 4,600 meters ! 

Chatru